2. Trends and Innovation
Ant Ballet
A two-year investigation into the parallels between human and ant communication has culminated in Ollie
Palmer’s Ant Ballet, the world’s first ballet to exclusively feature ants. In order to get ants to move in a way
that is different to their natural foraging behavior, a robotic arm lays trails of synthesized pheromones that
the ants follow. Currently in stage I of IV, the first live Ant Ballet performance will take place as part of
PESTIVAL in Sao Paulo later in 2012.
Ollie Palmer
4-12
Voronoi Bookshelf Prototype, An Experiment in Interactive, Generative Design
Hero Design makes use of the voronoi algorithm in the video in this article. Voronoi patterns are used in
scientific research and technology, are found in nature (i.e. spots on a giraffe), and are now being used
to create complex 3D generated objects such as bookshelves. The video in this article explains how to
generate the bookshelf, and there is information on how to download and get the code for the program
as well.
Hero Design
3-22-12
NYC Launches a Better Map App for Tourists
New York City’s official tourism center, NYC & Company, is launching a better map for its 50 million
annual tourists. The new iPhone map app is a co-branded version of a map app called CityMaps. It
portrays businesses with their logos instead of pins, and incorporates social media updates, OpenTable
booking capabilities, and daily deals directly into the map.
Mashable
4-2-12
3. Technology
MIT, Harvard Grads Develop High-Altitude Wind Turbine
Altaeros Energies, a wind energy company led by MIT and Harvard Alumni, has recently unveiled an
automated prototype of its airborne wind turbine that uses a helium-filled, inflatable shell to ascend to
higher altitudes. “For decades, wind turbines have required cranes and huge towers to lift a few hundred
feet off the ground, where winds can be slow and gusty,” explains Ben Glass, CEO of Altaeros. “We are
excited to demonstrate that modern inflatable materials can lift wind turbines into more powerful winds
almost everywhere.” NA WindPower
3-29-12
Glow-in-the-Dark Animals Star in Bioluminescence Show
In this slideshow by Adam Mann, bioluminescence is said to be found everywhere in nature. It is the
production of light by living organisms, who use it to attract mates, confuse predators, and catch prey.
An exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History called Creatures of the Light: Nature’s
Bioluminescence showcases these creatures and has recently opened to the public. It will run until
January 6th, 2013.
Wired
3-27-12
Mercedes-Benz Made You Look
Mercedes-Benz’s new zero-emission F-cell car is being marketed as a vehicle that is virtually invisible to
the environment - its only emission is water vapor. In order to promote the new car in a memorable way,
Mercedes blanketed one side of the car with LEDs and mounted a Canon 5D Mark II camera on the
other side of it. The LEDs displayed whatever the camera filmed, which caused passerby to stop and
gawk at the “invisible” car. @Issue
3-28-12
4. Culture
A Suspended Life-Sized Train Sculpture by Jeff Koons
Jeff Koon's "Train" - an enormous full-size sculptural replica of the 1943 Baldwin 2900 steam
locomotive - is possibly going to come to life seven years after the idea was originally abandoned.
Friends of the High Line, the group behind the elevated park in Chelsea, announced that the sculpture is
one of the possible designs for the park's 30th Street spur.
Huh Magazine
3-30-12
On Mad Men an Opening Scene Straight from Page One
The opening scenes of the Season 5 premiere of “Mad Men,” set in 1966, depicted a sort of
knucklehead-racism at work, when young men from the advertising agency Young & Rubicam dropped
bags filled with water on protesters picketing on the Madison Avenue sidewalk below. But no writer is to
blame. Everything in the scene really happened, written almost verbatim from an article on Page 1 of
The Times on May 28, 1966.
NY Times
3-28-12
Projection Mapping On A Human Face
Video mapping a human face is not entirely new, but this video ups the game a little and completely
immerses the actor in the projected visuals, covering the whole head and upper body so he becomes a
human chameleon. Turn him into a cyberman, a bearded metaller, even a human Google map. The
project was commissioned by Samsung in Portugal for a new phone, and the video mapping was done
by Oskar & Gaspar from an idea by agency Excentric.
The Creators Project
3-27-12
5. Agency News
Monica Karo, Apple’s Media Lead at Omnicom, Upped to U.S. Chief of PHD
Omnicom Media Group’s PHD has recently named Monica Karo U.S. CEO. She replaces Andrew
McLean, and was most recently president of integrated accounts at Omnicom Media Group and lead
on its Apple account. Ms. Karo has a long history with Apple, and when she was the corporate media
director for TBWA/Chiat/Day, Steve Jobs said of her, “She’s incredibly talented and a key member of
the Apple advertising team.” AdAge
3-29-12
Caught in Wendy's Pink-Slime Crossfire, Ketchum Hands BPI to Sibling Shop
What happens when one client publicly hits another? That’s what happened to Ketchum on March 30th
when client Wendy’s took a shot at client Beef Products Inc. According to a Ketchum spokeswoman,
Ketchum began working on a confidential BPI assignment, and “did not know that another client's
business would intersect with the work we were doing…we informed both clients and while they
understand that both of our teams are working independently, we are transitioning [BPI] work to
another firm in the Omnicom network." AdAge
3-30-12
GM Says Commonwealth Created to Be Chevrolet Brand Ad Agency
General Motors Co. (GM) recently named Commonwealth, a newly created joint venture between
Omnicom Group Inc.’s Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.’s
McCann Erickson Worldwide. “This is the first time that two large marketing communications holding
companies have come together to form a single company,” Joel Ewanick, GM’s chief marketing officer,
said in the statement. Businessweek
3-27-12
6. Sustainability
What Is The Psychology Of The Socially-Conscious Consumer?
Nielsen released research that sampled 28,000 respondents from 56 countries to look at bettering the
effectiveness of cause marketing. They were asked questions probing whether they prefer to pay for
products/services from companies that implement programs that give back to society, how likely they
were to pay extra, and if they are more likely to recommend a product/service that gives back.
PSFK
3-28-12
Earth Hour Plunges Global Landmarks into Darkness
Watch iconic buildings across the world including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Opera House in
Sydney turn off their lights as part of Earth Hour. Held on the last Saturday of March each year, the
event highlights environmental concerns by inviting people to switch off non-essential lighting.
TheGuardian
4-2-12
Snap a Photo of Physical Junk Mail, Become Unsubscribed
The average U.S. household receives some 850 pieces of junk mail over the course of a year. Roughly
44% of unsolicited mail in the US ends up in landfills each year without ever being opened, according
to Seattle-based Readabl. Aiming to help address that problem, the company’s PaperKarma app
enables users to simply snap a picture of an unwanted piece of junk mail and press “send” to become
unsubscribed from the mailing list that generated it.
SpringWise
3-30-12
7. @TBWANYPlanning
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